Applications hit new heights

Surpass last year by ten percent The number of regular decision applications reached an all-time high of 13,700 this year, surpassing last year's total by approximately 10.5 percent, Admissions Dean Lee Stetson said yesterday. Stetson said the number of applications broke the record of 13,105 set in 1988 and was a 1,306 increase over last year. Following the University's lead, the College of Arts and Sciences received an estimated 9,180 applications -- an all-time high. The number is 14 percent higher than last year's total of 8,075. And the number of applicants for the School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Nursing School also rose by 11 and nine percent, respectively. A projected 2,418 high school students applied to the Engineering School, and 240 students to the Nursing School. The Wharton School experienced a one percent drop from last year, decreasing from 1928 to 1902 applicants. The University's female applicant pool of 6,068 also set a record, Stetson said. The number of minority applications, 5336, rose by 9 percent this year. But, more significantly, Stetson said, was that the number of African-Americans reached an all-time high of 875, a jump of 13 percent. The number of Asian Americans applying to the University also rose by 11 percent, from 3,475 to 3842. The number of Hispanic applications declined this year, though, falling from 633 to 603. Many states showed significant increases in applicants, with Illinois, Colorado and New Jersey reaching all-time highs. The number of Pennsylvania applicants rose to 1,662 from 1,527, and the number of Philadelphia applications may be as high as 400, Stetson said, adding that it is a 13 percent jump from last year. Stetson attributes the growth in applications to increased visibility, enhanced recruiting and more personalized programs. "We're finding more ways each year to tell our story more clearly and more effectively," he said. "We are described by others as one of the most aggressive admissions departments in the country." Stetson also credited the increase to both University professors and students. Students are travelling back to their high schools to promote the University by way of the Student Recruitment Network. And some professors are keeping in touch with applicants throughout the admissions process. "I am finding in my travels that [the University] is more naturally on students' lists than it had been a couple of years ago," Stetson said. He added that many students are attracted to the University's unique programs. "The dual-degree programs are a statement to students that they can cross various disciplines and graduate with a larger academic background than many universities in the country," said Stetson. Aside from his office's recruiting efforts, he said he believes the uncertain economic climate is a factor in a student's choice to apply to the University. While the University is expensive, he added, parents are "investing" in a quality education to protect their children from the insecurities of the marketplace. "Parents are looking at colleges as durable consumer goods," Stetson said. "Parents see the potential for growth in employment opportunities that a good college education affords." Along with an increase in students, Stetson said the applicant pool is slightly stronger than last year's, when grade point average and standardized test scores are taken into consideration. "There is a more positive feeling about [the University] across the country," Interim President Claire Fagin said last night. "I think that our competitiveness as an Ivy and as a national university has increased over the years." Stetson said the increases are due not only to the amount of exposure the University receives, but also to the quality of that exposure. "We are a University that takes seriously the development and promotion of our image," he said.